1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a joint connector which allows mutual connection between cables to be more flexible in accordance with various circuit connecting configurations. Note that the terms xe2x80x9ccablexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cwirexe2x80x9d are used interchangeably throughout the present disclosure.
2. Description of Background Information
Joint connectors have conventionally been used for connecting the cables to be used for common circuit systems such as grounding lines. A joint connector 1 shown in FIG. 8A is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. (Hei) 8-306451. This joint connector 1 is assembled by inserting a connecting terminal 3 as shown in FIG. 8B in a terminal housing space 1b in a connector housing 1a. 
The aforementioned connector housing la has a plurality of terminal housing spaces 1b at different levels (shown as 4 levels in FIG. 8A) and is equipped with an inserting inlet 1d for each of the respective terminal housing spaces 1b at the front face 1c of connector housing 1a. The connecting terminal 3 is provided with a lower connector portion 3c, a first elastic contact member 3a on an upper area thereof, and a second elastic contact member 3b located in a middle area between the lower connector portion 3c and the upper first contact member 3a. 
In such a connector housing la, connecting terminals 3 inserted in housing spaces 1b above and below one another are placed in contact with each other by abutting the first elastic contact member 3a of the lower connecting terminal 3 with the connector portion 3c of the upper connecting terminal 3. In addition, insertion of a male terminal 4 through insertion hole 1d at the front face 1c of the connector housing allows for connection with contact with the second elastic contact member 3b of a connecting terminal 3. Such a configuration allows for easier adaptation to increases in the number of connections to be made due to circuit modifications.
When assembling a wire harness, as shown in FIG. 9, sub-assembly harnesses K-1, K-2 and K-3 are initially sub-assembled. At this stage the terminals T-1, T-2 and T-3 of cables which are to be connected to other sub-assembly harnesses during final assembling remain unconnected. These temporarily bound sub-assembly harnesses are finally assembled with the use of an assembling board, and at that time the unconnected terminals T-1, T-2 and T-3 are inserted into connectors of other sub-assembly harnesses. Therefore, when carrying out such final assembling, there is a lack of assembling efficiency due to the need for the final assembling of terminals. Furthermore, the initial assembling of the sub-assembly harnesses and the final assembling of the wire harness W/H are usually carried out in different places. Therefore, unconnected terminals T1, T-2 and T-3 are subjected to deformation and damage during transportation of the aforementioned sub-assembly harnesses K-1, K-2 and K3 prior to final assembling. Such deformation or damage of the terminals leads to difficult insertion into the connectors during final assembling, as well as possible inability to carry out terminal insertion.
Accordingly, with the aforementioned joint connector 1, because the connecting terminals 3 are individually inserted into one connector housing 1a, the aforementioned problem of final terminal assembling cannot be solved. In addition, there are further problems created by the special form of connecting terminal 3 which cannot optionally select connection or non-connection between the upper and lower terminals.
There is provided a connecting unit which includes a bus bar on an insulating plate, the bus bar including a joint area which connects between plural pressure welding areas of the bus bar. The pressure welding areas of the bus bar are provided with pressure weld blades which receive the ends of wires for pressure welding thereto.
In addition, a joint plate is separately provided which is equipped with a plurality of pressure welding slots which allow connection with a joint area by insertion of a connecting unit within a slot.
By stacking plural pressure-welded connecting units, and by pressure-fitting the insulating plates of the connecting units into pressure welding slots of a joint plate, wires pressure-welded to upper and lower connecting units are connected together.
The present invention addresses the aforementioned problems associated with wire harness assembling by eliminating final assembling of terminals to sub-assembly harnesses, and provides a joint connector that allows flexible adaptation to an increase in the number of connecting cables to be joined or circuit modifications.
In order to achieve the aforementioned objectives, the present invention provides a joint connector which includes a connecting unit and a joint plate. The connecting unit is provided with a generally flat insulating plate and a bus bar arranged in accordance with a predetermined circuit pattern on the insulating plate. The bus bar includes a plurality of pressure welding areas having pressure weld blades which allow pressure-welding of cables thereon. The bus bar also includes a joint area that connects respective predetermined pressure welded areas. The joint plate has plural contactable pressure welding slots in which the aforementioned insulation plates of the connecting units may be inserted.
By stacking plural connecting units which have cables pressure welded to their pressure welding areas, and by press-fitting the connecting units into the pressure welding slots of the aforementioned joint plate, the respective cables pressure-welded to upper and lower connecting units are connected together.
Based on the aforementioned structure, each cable can be connected together through bus bars by merely pressure-welding a plural number of cables to the pressure welding area of a connecting unit. Furthermore, by press fitting each connecting unit into pressure welding slots of a joint plate, the bus bars between plural connecting units are connected together through the joint plate. Thus, cables that are pressure welded to plural connecting units can be connected together through bus bars and joint plates.
Furthermore, by connecting the cable terminals which are to be joined with other sub-assembly harnesses to pressure welding areas of the aforementioned connecting unit, they are easily integrated by being stacked and connected with other sub-assembly harnesses at the time of final assembling of the wire harness. Thus, the respective cables between sub-assembly harnesses are connected together through respective bus bars which are connected between upper and lower connecting units by a joint plate. Therefore, by connecting cable terminals to connecting units during assembling of the sub-assembly harnesses, the final assembling of terminals can be eliminated by the provision of complete sub-assembly harnesses with no unconnected terminals.
Further, by optionally arranging the positions of the pressure welding slots in the joint plate, the connecting units to be connected together (and thus the pressure welding areas to be connected together) can optionally be selected. In addition, even within the same connecting unit, by optionally arranging the route of the bus bar, the pressure welding areas to be connected together (and thus the cables to be connected together) can also be selected.
Preferably, the joint connector includes a case which accommodates plural connecting units stacked therein, and includes guide grooves that guide connecting units into predetermined upper and lower positions formed in the case. The connecting units are inserted into the case along the guiding grooves, thereby enabling press-fitting into the pressure welding slots of the aforementioned joint plate.
With the arrangement described above, the connecting units that are stacked and connected between required cables can integrally be held and fastened to the required part of the wire harness.